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“Further details are needed!” Reflections on the reporting in quantitative systematic reviews submitted to JBI Evidence Synthesis
No full textJBI Evidence Synthesis receives quantitative systematic reviews that employ a wide range of high-quality and innovative methods to address their review questions. While the systematic reviews must follow JBI methodologies or those endorsed by JBI, common issues are noted related to the methods and results of systematic reviews. This commentary describes the 4 most common issues identified across quantitative systematic reviews from the experience of a senior associate editor of the journal
Enhancing Monte Carlo Tree Search for Retrosynthesis
Get PDFComputer-Assisted Synthesis Programs are increasingly employed by organic chemists. Often, these tools combine neural networks for policy prediction with heuristic search algorithms. We propose two novel enhancements, which we call eUCT and dUCT, to the Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) algorithm. The enhancements were deployed in AiZynthFinder and have been integrated into the open-source electronic lab notebook, AI4Green, available at https://ai4green.app. A memory-efficient stock file was used to reduce the computational carbon footprint. Both enhancements significantly reduced, by up to 50%, the computational clock-time to solve 1500 heavy (500–800 Da) molecules. The dUCT enhancement increased the number of routes found per molecule for the 1500 heavy molecules and a 50,000-molecule set from ChEMBL. eUCT and dUCT-v2 solved between 600 and 900 more molecules than the unenhanced MCTS algorithm across the 50,000 molecules. When limited to a 150 s time constraint, dUCT-v1 solved ∼5 million more routes to the 50,000 targets than the unenhanced algorithm
Thermal blood flowmeter based on cascaded Fabry-Pérot Interferometers utilising the enhanced harmonic Vernier effect
Get PDFLocalised accurate blood flow measurement is crucial in various clinical scenarios for diagnosing and treating vascular conditions. An innovative thermal blood flowmeter that comprises cascaded Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (CFPI) and a multimode fibre (MMF) is presented. The MMF is connected to a green LED for modulating fluid temperature, and the resulting temperature change is inversely proportional to the flow rate. The CFPI consists of a polymer and air cavities of lengths 285.1 μm and 408.4 μm, respectively. The CFPI temperature sensitivity is enhanced due to the high thermo-expansion of the polymer compared to silica fibre. The typical discrete FPI system based on the Vernier effect comprises one sensing cavity and a reference cavity of constant length. In contrast, the CFPI is more compact and further enhances the sensor's sensitivity because the lengths of the two cavities change in opposite directions. The CFPI's temperature sensitivity is improved 117.4 times compared to a single polymer cavity and can reach 26.67±1.07 nm/ °C. Flow in a phantom system can be measured over a range from 20 ml/min to 300 ml/min
Draft genomes of two contemporary strains of Babesia divergens
Get PDFBabesia divergens, a major cause of bovine babesiosis with zoonotic potential, was analyzed through genomes Bdiv23B and Bdiv24B following Illumina sequencing of DNA extracted from PCR-positive cattle blood. The genomes comprised 3888 and 4032 predicted coding sequences, respectively, comparable to the reference genome, Rouen 1987, highlighting genomic consistency across isolates
Skin cancers are the most common cancer in England
No full textDear Editor, When asking a search engine, ‘What is the most common cancer in England?’ all the top results give an answer that excludes keratinocyte cancers (KCs), which is the group term for basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCCs), and similar results are given by artificial intelligence-based chatbots.Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) have historically been excluded from national statistics and official skin cancer reporting worldwide. This is because of low prioritization due to high incidence, relatively low mortality rates and difficulty in accurate recording.1 However, improvements in technology have provided opportunities for cancer registries to improve their data collection and reporting on all NMSCs to show the burden of these cancers at a national level.2From 2020 to 2040, skin cancer cases are expected to grow by 34%, largely driven by KCs, which are projected to increase by 42%.3 The growth in incidence is estimated to be higher in males than in females, with KCs projected to rise by 49% in males and 33% in females, alongside melanoma, which is projected to increase by 20% in males and 8% in females.
Inkjet printed 3D architectures: from silver micropillar arrays and lattices to multimaterial metamaterials
Get PDFInkjet printing can offer scalable, on-site manufacturing for a wide variety of functional materials, such as metal nanoparticles and polymers. However, to date inkjet deposition of complex 3D geometries remains challenging limiting its application potential. We report on inkjet printing of highly conductive silver structures with fully 3D architectures, based on self-supporting tilted micropillars. These structures can be printed in large arrays, with a vertical height of several millimetres and strut thickness of 50 μm. To demonstrate their potential, the pillars are arranged into lattices, and spiralling structures. Metamaterial structure is produced consisting of floating silver shapes supported by a polymer matrix, and highly anisotropic dielectric properties are demonstrated at microwave frequencies, which can be easily tailored by the orientation of the silver elements. These results push the boundaries of 3D geometric complexity in inkjet printing, enabling new and improved manufacturing solutions for communication systems, electronics and metamaterials
Anti-Müllerian hormone, antral follicle count, and progesterone evaluation in Italian Mediterranean buffalo heifers
Get PDFAnti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has been used as a molecular marker of the ovarian follicular pool and follicular responsiveness to superovulation treatments in cattle and other species. Early studies in buffalo cows indicated that circulating AMH levels were relatively low, which appeared to be correlated with ovarian follicular reserve. This study aimed to evaluate AMH in buffalo heifers to investigate its potential correlation with the phase of the oestrous cycle and follicle count (FC). For this study, forty-two cycling Mediterranean buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) heifers, aged 18-20 months, were selected in a Sicilian farm. Using rectal palpation and ultrasound exam of the genital tract, recording uterine tone and ovarian findings (follicles and corpus luteum), the heifers were divided into two main groups: those in the luteal phase (n = 32) and those in the follicular phase (n = 10). Each ovary was carefully examined and the total number of follicles ≥ 3 mm in diameter was duly recorded for each animal. Blood samples were taken from the caudal vein for progesterone and AMH assay. The unpaired Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate longitudinal changes in hormone levels from the follicular to the luteal phase. The Pearson correlation coefficient assessed the possible correlation between AMH and progesterone and between AMH and FC. The results indicated no significant difference in AMH levels between the follicular and luteal phases, and no correlation between AMH and P4. However, a significant correlation was observed between FC and AMH. AMH in buffalo heifers was not found to be correlated with the phase of the oestrous cycle, but rather with FC. The parallelism with bovine species suggests that AMH may be a useful indicator for selecting buffalo heifers with good fertility and long productive life, which could potentially serve as candidates for reproductive biotechnology
Suicide in prison: The potentials and pitfalls of film-research collaborations
Get PDFPrisoner suicide rates are consistently higher than rates among communities outside prisons. Between 2012 and 2016, England and Wales' prison suicide rates more than doubled, hitting record numbers in 2016. Often those most invested in prison safety are those personally impacted, and campaigns by prisoners’ families can have material effects on imprisonment. This article critically reflects on a collaboration between an academic research team (who authored this article), a bereaved mother and a theatre company, which aimed to raise awareness of prison suicide through verbatim film. Drawing upon interviews with the filmmakers and audience surveys, we examine the potentials and challenges of such collaborations. We conclude that film can engage audiences within and beyond social science, making complex subjects accessible, humanising marginalised people and potentially inspiring social change, but a sustained ethic of care is required to mitigate harms and manage expectations, which may involve difficult decisions for researchers
Mixed-methods evaluation of targeted leadership development training to support the career progression of the black and minority ethnic NHS workforce
Get PDFIntroduction: Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers within the National Health Service (NHS) experience barriers to attainment of senior leadership roles. The NHS Leadership Academy delivered two Leadership Programmes addressing barriers to progression among the BME workforce, the Stepping Up (middle managers) and Ready Now (senior leaders) programmes. Methods: Mixed-methods evaluation involving an online survey (n=39; 20m/19f, identifying with 10 ethnic groups) and qualitative interviews (n=8; 5m/3f) with programme participants investigating barriers and the extent to which targeted leadership programmes impacted their career progression. Analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of qualitative data.Results: Participants reported institutional barriers to career progression and experiences of structural racism. Evaluation of targeted leadership programmes was consistently positive, providing a ‘safe space’ for shared experiences, while building self-confidence and motivation to apply for career development opportunities or positions. Most participants secured meaningful career development following programme completion. Conclusion: Targeted career development programmes are highly valued by BME healthcare workers and perceived to contribute to addressing workforce inequalities in career progression relating to ethnic disparity in the attainment of senior NHS leadership roles. However, the broader impact of such programmes remains limited without addressing wider institutional barriers to progression and tackling racialised workplace inequities
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